The present invention relates in general to snow shoveling devices or scoops and to carts for hauling material and implements similar to wheelbarrows. More particularly, the present invention relates to a combination of a snow shoveling device and cart which includes several movement capabilities enabled by a unique configuration of handles, linkages and pivotal connections.
The removal of snow from driveways and walkways is normally accomplished in one of two ways. For manual removal, a snow shovel is used and its limitations are well known. The shovel can only hold a limited amount of snow and significant back strain results in moving the snow loaded onto the shovel blade to a remote location away from the driveway or walkway. In many instances the snow must be moved several feet depending upon the length and width of the driveway or walkway.
When one wants to avoid manual removal, a wide range of gasoline powered snow blowers or plows are available. Typically these blowers and plows come in a variety of widths and horsepower ratings which relate to the rate or amount of snow removal. Disadvantages with such gasoline powered devices include their cost and their lack of maneuverability to work in and around tight places. A further point to recognize is that snow shovels, blowers and plows have a limited, singular use, snow removal. These devices are not suitable for other types of general yard work and clean up.
The device of the present invention provides the benefits of a snow shovel from the standpoint of ease of use and maneuverability with enhancements in that much larger loads can be collected and moved in a way that due to the mechanical advantage created does not produce any harmful stress in the back of the user. The device of the present invention can also be used for general yard clean up and hauling. While the conventional devices that are most commonly used, snow shovels and blowers, have been discussed, other devices have been invented for snow removal and general hauling as described in the following patents:
______________________________________ Patent No. Patentee Issue Date ______________________________________ 4,353,596 Gibson 10/12/1982 4,224,751 Schoemann et al. 09/30/1980 4,130,953 Bruno 12/26/1978 3,121,963 Nolan 02/25/1964 3,043,033 Ingram et al. 07/10/1962 2,544,505 Kronhaus 03/06/1951 2,146,807 Ferari 02/14/1939 1,307,568 Wenndorf 06/24/1919 Des. 206,177 Unruh 11/08/1966 ______________________________________
Gibson discloses a breakdown dumping cart which includes a hopper and a support structure which operably supports the hopper and which can be disassembled and stored within the hopper for compact storage and shipping. The support structure includes a pair of side frame members and a number of associated bracing members which cooperate to bracket the hopper on three of its sides, pivotal support members attaching one of the side frame members to the hopper, pivotal over center lever members attaching the other side frame member to the hopper, an axle and wheel assembly attached to the lower section of the side frame members, and a pair of handle members attached to and rearwardly extending from respective ones of the side frame members.
Schoemann discloses a device for snow removal which comprises a frame, a flexible scoop, and means for flexing and relaxing the scoop. The device includes a pair of oppositely disposed handles and a cross brace supporting the handles. Attached to the support brace is a lever arm with a rope connected to it and connected to the front end of the scoop. This arrangement allows the lever arm to be used to manipulate the scoop.
Bruno discloses a snow-removing device which is a scoop or shovel pivotally mounted at one end of a lever arm whose other end has a handle. The lever arm is mounted on a pedestal in such a manner that it can be pivoted in a horizontal plane to raise and lower the scoop by means of the handle, and pivot in a vertical plane to move the scoop to one side or the other. The pedestal is mounted on a sled, with optional wheels, so that with the scoop position in front of the sled, the device can be pushed forward until the scoop is full of snow. The operator can then lever up the load of snow and rotate the scoop to one side or the other whereat a release catch can be actuated to drop the load of snow.
Noland discloses a shoveling device which includes a handled frame, a pair of wheels connected to the frame and a scoop movably carried by the frame and rigidly attached to the handle portion wherein the handle portion is pivotally mounted to the remainder of the frame such that the scoop can be loaded with snow in a lower position and then by pivoting the handle raise the scoop to an elevated position at which point a false bottom may be removed and the snow dumped at the desired dumping site.
Ingram discloses a utility scoop which includes a frame with a handle portion, a pair of wheels for moving the frame forward and a front loading scoop. The attachment of the handle portion to the scoop is by means of a pivotal connection and the pair of wheels are pivotally connected both to the frame and by a second linkage arm to the scoop enabling the scoop to be oriented in a variety of positions.
Kronhaus discloses a self-loading wheelbarrow of what appears to be conventional construction except that the wheelbarrow portion is capable of scooping up cargo from the ground and then elevating it into a hopper portion. The hopper portion is disposed behind the scoop portion and the two are pivotally connected such that by manipulating various levers and linkage arms, the scoop portion can be allowed to dip forward for the scooping action and brought back so as to dump its cargo into the hopper portion and then return to another scooping step. The raising and lowering of the scoop is provided by means of parallel levers which are pivotally connected to the hopper.
Ferari discloses an excavator and loader also referred to as a power shovel which may be used as an attachment for a tractor of the caterpillar type. The bucket is connected to the remainder of the unit by a lever arm and piston arm on each side of the bucket. The lever arm connects to the bucket at a forward point by means of a pivotal connection and the opposite end of the lever arm is secured to the remainder of the excavator and loader. The second connection to the bucket is by means of a hydraulic cylinder which also connects by means of a pivotal connection with the base of the cylinder housing attached to the remainder of the excavator and loader. By means of various hydraulics and linkages, the bucket can be oriented in a forward scooping or pick up mode and then pivoted rearwardly so as to hold or retain the load and then inverted into a dumping mode so as to empty the bucket of the collected contents.
Wenndorf discloses a street-cleaning machine which includes a wheeled cart and a pivotable front scoop. The linkage configuration allows the front scoop to be pushed along the street surface so as to collect debris, trash and garbage and by means of a lever have the collected material brought upwardly and pivoted rearwardly so as to dump the contents of the scoop into the hopper of the cart.
Unruh discloses a combined snow shovel and cart which includes a front scoop or hopper, a wheeled base and a plurality of interconnected linkage arms and handles. In view of the fact that the Unruh reference is a design patent, very little can be learned as to the specifics of the interconnect of the linkages and information as to whatever function they may perform.
While each of the foregoing patented devices may have provided the desired benefits and advantages which are described, it is clear that none disclose the pivotal linkage arrangement of the present invention whereby the scoop of the device can be lifted and moved in an elevated condition and dumped by easy manipulation of the three handles disclosed as part of the present invention.